Why should our citizens glorify criminality?

ONE of former president Michael Sata’s children, Mwelwa Sata has finally opened-up about the family’s economic status after the demise of their father.

According to the News Diggers newspaper, Mwelwa gives this interesting account, “while we have heard and read stories about how some presidents’ children were gifted filling stations, apartments, luxury vehicles and more, we don’t swim in money.”

Well, well, well…..where does this leave ba Lungu and his family?

Like other Presidents gone before him – Kenneth D. Kaunda, Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa and to a certain extent, Rupiah “King Cobra,” as he was fondly referred to, never seemed to have ‘looted’ our resources for the sole benefit of his family!

Sata was a no nonsense leader who never entertained his children anywhere near the treasury. Economic Front strong man, Wynter Kabimba actually puts it in a better way. In a recent interview, he explains that when Sata caught wind of his eldest son, Mulenga, engaging in questionable business activities with the Chinese, he solicited his help to warn his son to be careful with the Chinese “to avoid being a fugitive like Hanry Banda,” (son of former President Banda). Apparently, Henry went into self-imposed exile after the PF wrestled power from the MMD for fear of going to jail on account of being involved in dubious and illicit deals when the father was in charge.

Like Sata, most of our former presidents, who’ve since transitioned to the land of the dead, never bequeathed questionable wealth to their spouses or children. They’re now eking a living either working in the private sector or indeed public service. If we may cite a few examples, Panji Kaunda is High Commissioner to Malawi while his sibling Cheswa, is a protocol officer in government. Chipo Mwanawasa is equally one of the presidential aides while Stella Sata recently landed herself a lucrative job in Canada. Others such as Mulenga Sata are said to have ventured into business…….whether it’s breeding and selling puppies is a matter of speculation; at least they’re earning a living in a decent manner.

All in all, most of former first children are struggling to make ends meet just like the rest of us save for the Lungus! Going by all these reports we are reading about regarding array of properties being confiscated from his wife, children and close associates by the state……ba Lungu definitely deserves to have his immunity stripped off, pronto! It seems immediately ba Lungu set foot in State House, he went on rampage plundering our resources like a monkey in a maize field. He would of course ‘gift’ some of this abundant wealth to his wife and children – filling stations, impressive fleets of vehicles, breath-taking mansions in exclusive neighborhoods, mukula business and enormous amounts of money like Santa Claus handing out sweets and cookies to children!

For most of our citizens unfortunately…..especially ba 1.8 million, the perceived ‘criminalities’ on the part of ba Lungu is inconsequential to them! They’d rather keep on shamelessly glorifying him to the grave……. to such an extent of even fantasizing ati “Alebwelelapo!”

Is celebrating suspected criminals restricted to politics?

Negative! During the tenure of PF for instance, the so-called Jerabos were the ‘darlings’ of some people despite their heinous activities – violently hounding-out civil servants from offices, taking over the running of markets and bus stations, assaulting or killing perceived political opponents and literally ransacking the treasury through some bogus contracts and business transactions!

Why should our citizens keep celebrating and glorifying criminality? Is it a case of choosing Barabbas over our Saviour?

Until next time…..

Prince Bill M. Kaping’a
Social/Political Analyst